Mack Ade – My Favorite Player Ever

I never rooted for anyone like I did Gil Hodges.

I grew up in Ozone Park, Queens and there were only Giants and Dodgers fans there. The Yankees were some super human team that played against other teams in another league. I was a Dodger fan and there eight teams in my ‘league’, but all of us know there really was only one team you had to beat each year and that was the New York Giants. You could come in 7^th in the division as long as Durocher’s assholes finished 8^th.

Do you like the Mets infield?

What about 1B Gil Hodges, 2B Jackie Robinson (followed by Junior Gilliam), SS Pee Wee Reese, and 3B Billy Cox-Don Hoak-Don Zimmer?

There were a lot of great players on this team, but one of them were their clubhouse leader, Gil Hodges. There simply was no better defensive first baseman on the field in his day and (I still remember) he retired as 3^rd in home run hitters as a right hander. As you all know, he went on to be a very successful Mets manager, yet the Hall of Fame refused to recognize him as one of the giants on the game for years.

In my day as a kid, the last thing a pitcher wanted to do was face him followed by Duke Snider.

I was so happy when the Mets first made Hodges a player and then, a manager. I expected him to be attached to the team for years to come.

Mr. Hodges was elected to the Hall of Fame yesterday. 

PRESS RELEASE: METS STATEMENTS ON GIL HODGES HALL OF FAME ELECTION

 

Mets Owner, Chairman & CEO Steve Cohen

"The Mets are overjoyed that Gil Hodges will take his rightful place into the Baseball Hall of Fame. We thank the Golden Days Era Committee for recognizing Gil's achievements as a player and as a man who delivered the Mets first World Series Championship in 1969.  Many agree that the Miracle Mets' accomplishment would not have happened without his leadership, guidance, dignity and grace. Congratulations to his wife Joan, son Gil Jr., and daughters Irene and Cindy, who we are thrilled will be able to cherish and celebrate his selection."

 

Irene Hodges – Gil's daughter

"I was here with my mom when the Hall of Fame called…she just pounded her heart and said I'm so happy for Gil. My dad was a great manager and a great player but above all else he was a great Dad."

 

Gil Hodges Jr. – Gil's son

"I'm thrilled for my mother. She's 95 now and the next vote would not have been for five years. I'm glad she can enjoy this day and she's part of it."

 

Jerry Koosman

"He was a gentleman. He commanded respect. He knew the game inside out. He was always three steps ahead of the other manager, I can't tell you how elated I am."

 

Ed Kranepool

"The good guys finally won. I never met a more outstanding gentleman than Gil Hodges. He treated us all the same way and with respect. I'm thrilled beyond words."

 

Cleon Jones

"There are so many reasons why Gil Hodges should be in the Hall of Fame. He was a great player, a great manager and what he did for Jackie Robinson speaks to the character of the man. It was an honor for me to play for him."

 

Ron Swoboda

"Long-overdue…So right, I can't tell you how overjoyed I am. He was a great man."

 

Art Shamsky

"My first reaction is I'm elated for the Hodges family. They had so many ups and downs through the years. I'm glad that Joan is still here to enjoy this day. It's well deserved."

 

Carl Erskine – Dodgers teammate

"I played with Gil for 12 seasons. He was not the captain, but a quiet strong leader. He kept the infield together. He had a sixth sense when it came to baseball."

 

 

Breaking News: Gil Hodges elected to Hall of Fame

Finally.  It has happened.  The man who lead the Mets to the 1969 World Championship is in the Hall of Fame.  Gil Hodges was elected tonight by the Golden Days Era Committee.  

Mets fans have been hoping for this for a long time.  50 long years since his death in 1972.  Now it is done.

Congratulations to Gil and his family.

An 18 year MLB career as a player with a 43.9 WAR, 370 HRs, 1,274 RBIs, .273/.359/.487 - .846 OPS.  Gil also hit the first HR for the expansion NY Mets - an inside the park HR.

Hitting Stats: 

Manager Stats: 

Uncle Gil got into Cooperstown!!!! https://t.co/3t4dKgsuSp

— Noelle Gold (@NoelleGold) December 5, 2021

Back in 2012, Tom Seaver had this to say about Gil Hodges' impact as Mets manager:

"He brought what we as young athletes, professional athletes, were missing, which was the understanding of the definition of professionalism." pic.twitter.com/H5asCK0lm1

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 6, 2021

Hall of Famers Gil Hodges and Tom Seaver pic.twitter.com/R3EwwATCPn

— MetsFanMania (@MetsFanMania) December 5, 2021

Cutnpaste: - Ike Davis, Wilmer Flores, Gil Hodges, Ced Landrum, Daniel Murphy

JOE’S TAKE: Davis has quickly become one of my favorite Mets. He has an intensity and drive you don’t see in some of the other players and he absolutely hates to lose. I see him quickly becoming on of the leaders of this team in the mold of Keith Hernandez. His quick bat and the power he generates from from his lower body tells me we could see many 30+ home run seasons in his future. His defense is close to elite and it won’t be long until he starts racking up a few Gold Gloves. Get back on the diamond Ike Davis, it’s what you were born to do. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/2011-player-review-ike-davis-1b.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29

Wilmer Flores: Coming into this season he was touted as the top prospect in the Mets entire farm system.  Scouts have raved about his bat and “special hands” for years, but when are we going to see it?  I know he is young, and just turned 20 years of age, but he has now played 4 full seasons in the Minor leagues and we are still waiting.  His season line was just very unimpressive with the exception of the fact that he drove in over 80 runs.  At this point in his young career he doesn’t walk enough (26 in 507 AB’s), and his power stroke has not fully developed like many had hoped it would.  He had just 9 home runs this year, down from his professional high of 11 last season. He still has not consistently driven the ball in the gaps as he only had 26 doubles on the season, also down from his high of 34 last season.  His production is not awful, it is just not worthy of all the hype, and especially not worthy of an organizational top prospect ranking.  He began the year playing for Single-A St. Lucie, and that is exactly where he finished the season.  He did not perform well enough to be promoted like many of his teammates did. Being that this is his fourth full professional season, not being promoted speaks volumes for where he is right now. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/mets-top-position-player-prospects-were-disappointing-in-2011.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29

Washington Senators outfielder Fred Valentine, who played under Hodges from 1964-67, also praised the character of his fallen manager. “Throughout my whole playing career I think I gave him 100, 110 percent while I was on the field. … I knew what type of person he was. He was a devoted person, a devoted manager and he treated all of the players equally well. All of the ballplayers seemed to like the way that he managed,” said Valentine. He hopes that the upcoming vote will land Hodges in Cooperstown. “I can’t say enough about Gil Hodges about a manager. I’m just praying as I told Mrs. Hodges [today], that he will make it to the Hall of Fame where he deserves to be.” Continue reading on Examiner.com Hodges' legacy upheld at Winning Beyond Winning's annual dinner - New York Baseball History | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/baseball-history-in-new-york/hodges-legacy-upheld-at-winning-beyond-winning-annual-dinner#ixzz1e726dccJ

The Mets signed outfielder Ced Landrum as a free agent on May 14, 1993. Following his signing, he reported to the Norfolk Tides, the Mets top minor league club where he hit .291 with 5 home runs and 29 RBIs. He was promoted to New York in the middle of August and made his Met debut on August 13 as a pinch runner for Eddie Murray. Landrum finished out the season with the Mets appearing in 22 games mainly as a pinch hitter. He hit .263 (5 for 19) with one RBI. His only RBI came during the Mets 9-8 loss to the Chicago Cubs on September 4. The Mets released Landrum following the season http://www.newyorkmetshistoryonline.com/all-time-mets/ced-landrum-his-mets-career-1993

Even if you calculate that the best-case scenario has less than a 10 percent chance of happening – isn’t a minimum shot of that type of upside worth rolling the dice on in the particular case the Mets find themselves in for the 2012 season? Especially when you note that ZiPS projects Turner for a .265/.327/.372 line this year and Tejada for a .259/.329/.339 mark. If the Mets are going to improve in 2012, they need to have their best players on the field on a regular basis. Throughout the bulk of his career with the Mets, Murphy has been a very good hitter. It would be a great advantage if the Mets could have Murphy at second base, where his offense figures to be among the league’s best. And while his defense may not be Gold Glove caliber, he does not figure to be Boswell-esque, either. The only way to know for sure is to give him as many reps as possible and hope that with coaching he can improve his technique around the bag and avoid injury http://mets360.com/?p=8462&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mets360%2Ffeed+%28Mets360+Feed%29

Brandon Nimmo, Chris Capuano, Gil Hodges, Jason Isringhausen, Zack Lutz

10-25-11: - http://www.minorleaguerundown.com/2011/10/25/2011-top-20-new-york-mets-prospects - 2011 Top 20 New York Mets Prospects -  4.Brandon Nimmo, CF (Rookie League): His overall offensive upside remains a bit murky (mainly in the power department), while the quality of his tools and swing are readily apparent. I still believe that he will become a fantastic prospect once he concentrates on baseball year round, an environment that the baseball-less Wyoming high school system did not provide. Nimmo’s left-handed swing is great for his age, and he’s got the athleticism/speed to play a quality center field. He should hit for quality average and above-average power as a center fielder, possibly like a less-speedy Christian Yelich in time.

Let me begin by saying that Chris Capuano delivered one the finest pitching performances of the 2011 season when he hurled a complete game shutout against the Atlanta Braves on August 26. His 13 strikeouts were a career high and he faced just one batter over the minimum. Remarkable. That said, as much as I loved that one phenomenal moment, I would have to say no way to re-signing Capuano. I base my opinion on two things. First, if his 1.35 WHIP and 4.55 weren’t reason enough to pass on Cappy, what about his road splits of a 5.42 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP? I mean come on, that’s absolutely brutal and how do you think that will translate in a smaller Citi Field which was just re-designed to specifically help right-handed hitters who teed off on Capuano to the tune of an .818 OPS last season? How you like me now? http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/2011-player-review-chris-capuano.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29

11-11-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7142/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-3b-prospects  - If the Mets were to part with Wright, Zach Lutz would be the first one to fill the hole because of his experience. The 25-year-old would have been in Queens sometime this year if he didn’t get hurt midway through the Triple-A Buffalo season. Prior to the injury, Lutz was tearing up International League pitching, batting .295 with 11 homeruns and 31 RBI. Those numbers look very good for an MLB-ready talent like Lutz, however he strikes out too much, conjuring thoughts of Casey McGehee or Mark Reynolds. In 220 at-bats, Lutz whiffed 70 times, while accumulating just 27 walks.  Surprisingly, Lutz hits for average, as he’s never hit below .275 in his 5 years in the minors. At worst, he becomes a Mike Hessman kind of player, minus the hype that Hessman had as a prospect. At best, he’s a serviceable third basemen. Because of his injury, he’ll likely start off in Buffalo again and will definitely get a taste sometime during the season.

 JOE’S TAKE: Call me sentimental, but if Jason Isringhausen is healthy and wants to forgo his retirement for another season, I would bring him back. It’s not like we can’t use the help or experience in the bullpen anyway. Izzy’s 1.28 WHIP was among the best in the Mets bullpen and even topped Parnell’s 1.47 WHIP by a considerable margin. He also didn’t implode whenever he emerged from those bullpen gates in the ninth inning like Parnell did – an important fact to consider. I see nothing wrong with giving him the same kind of deal he received last season. Remember, Sandy Alderson specifically said on more than one occasion that he didn’t trade Izzy, despite some offers for him, because he was a great influence on the younger relievers. So what’s changed? He could still assume that role and at the same time be one of the more effective relievers out of the Mets bullpen once again in 2012. Jason Isringhausen… You’re the next contestant on the Price is Right… Come on down… http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/2011-player-review-jason-isringhausen.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29

Whether Gil Hodges should get into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his career as a Brooklyn Dodgers first baseman is endlessly debatable. While he was an upper-80s student, he was overshadowed by his high-achieving classmates Jackie, Duke, Roy and Pee Wee. Hodges nailed the extra credit, though, and that should put him across the voters’ threshold for excellence, finally earning him a plaque alongside his fellow boys of summer. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/12/hodges-added-to-his-credentials-after-playing-days/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nyt%2Frss%2FSports+%28NYT+%3E+Sports%29&seid=auto&smid=tw-nytimessports

Cutnpaste: - Collin McHugh, Phillip Evans, Gil Hodges, Reyes Defense, More Wilpon Woes

None of us (minor leaguers and major leaguers alike) know exactly where we will be when camp breaks April 1, 2012. There are too many variables between now and then to triangulate which city/team/organization we will play for. If we want to continue to play, we have to face that reality. It’s not for the faint of heart, nor the “heavy” lifestyle. For now, we will continue to travel light and hope that we can drop anchor in Queens, NY…sooner rather than later. - Collin McHugh, RHP, New York Mets - http://aflprospects.mlblogs.com

11-7-11: - Phillip Evans makes this list based purely on projection, not on any stats. He has a very advanced skill set that doesn’t really compare to anyone else in the organization. His combination of fielding ability, ability to hit for average, ability to hit with power, and leadership skills grade out as someone who should move quickly through the organization. The idea of him making the big leagues sooner than most other players his age is not that much of a stretch. A true indication should come very early next season, when the Savannah Sand Gnats announce their opening day roster. If it were to include a 19-year-old shortstop named Phil Evans, he could be well on his way in no time. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects-%e2%80%93-14-phillip-evans-ss.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29

The Hodges case itself is filled with close calls- most famously when his supporter Roy Campanella missed a Veterans’ Committee vote due to illness, and Hodges fell a single vote shy. I can’t claim to be unbiased here- my father was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, loved Hodges, and we both belong to the Gil Hodges for the Hall of Fame mailing list. My hope is that this year’s version of the Veterans’ Committee sees it my way. The vote will be held on December 5. Here’s hoping all of Hodges’ supporters are feeling well enough to attend. http://mets.lohudblogs.com/2011/11/07/gil-hodges-for-the-hall-of-fame-you-bet/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mets+%28The+LoHud+Mets+Blog%29

Reyes had -11 Defensive Runs Saved last year, the fifth-worst mark among all MLB shortstops and third-worst in NL. In the previous three years combined, he cost the Mets just three runs with his glove over nearly 3,000 innings. There was a time when Reyes was a statistical standout defensively, but he hasn’t had a positive Runs Saved rating since 2007. http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/30796/jose-reyes-aramis-ramirez-share-flaws

Five years after buying a 30-story West Loop office tower, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon is facing trouble over a $100-million loan used to finance the acquisition. The securitized loan on the 677,222-square-foot office building at 200 W. Adams St. has been transferred to a special servicer, a firm hired to handle problem loans, according to a report from debt rating agency Standard & Poor’s. The loan comes due Jan. 1, “and the borrower indicated that it will not be able to obtain refinancing proceeds by the maturity date,” according to the S&P report.  http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20111107/CRED03/111109800/ny-mets-owners-firm-in-a-pickle-over-200-w-adams-loan#ixzz1d3mLmL9u